North Korea criticizes US rhetoric on nuclear issue

Image of North Korea test-launching the solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-18 on July 12.

According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on August 5, at the first meeting of the preparatory committee for the 11th Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review conference, the US and its allies unreasonably criticized North Korea's nuclear deterrence capability for self-defense purposes as a "threat" to international peace and security as well as the nuclear non-proliferation system.

KCNA quoted a press release from the Permanent Mission of the DPRK to the Office of the United Nations and International Organizations in Vienna, stressing that the DPRK's strengthening of its nuclear deterrence for self-defense is an act of exercising its legitimate sovereignty to prevent the outbreak of nuclear war, protect its national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and stably control and manage the situation on the Korean Peninsula, amid the unstable security environment of the region due to the nuclear threat from the US and its allied forces.

North Korea asserts that it is a responsible nuclear weapons state, committed to prohibiting nuclear use and threats to non-nuclear states and non-proliferation.

North Korea's nuclear forces will never pose a threat to countries that respect Pyongyang's sovereignty and security interests.

On the other hand, North Korea noted that it is now clear that the US is posing a threat to international peace and security as well as the nuclear non-proliferation system.

KCNA cited that the US has publicly announced its national policy to modernize its nuclear weapons industry, rapidly upgrade three strategic nuclear assets and has spent huge military spending on this strategy every year.

The US is also the party that has deliberately refused to implement New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty), which can be considered the last bastion of the Nuclear Disarmament Treaty.

Previously, on July 19, South Korea's special envoy for peace and security on the Korean peninsula, Mr. Kim Gunn, arrived in Tokyo to meet with his Japanese and American counterparts to discuss North Korea's nuclear and missile issues.

Mr. Kim Gunn plans to meet his US counterpart Sung Kim and Japanese counterpart Takehiro Funakoshi in Tokyo on July 20.

The three sides are expected to discuss how to respond to North Korea's moves, especially after Pyongyang test-fired the Hwasong-18 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) last week.

This is North Korea's 12th ICBM launch since early 2013. Last April, three officials held three-way talks in Seoul.

Mr. Kim Gunn plans to hold separate meetings with his American and Japanese counterparts at this meeting in Tokyo.

According to VNA

Source link: https://baohaiduong.vn/the-gioi/trieu-tien-chi-trich-luan-dieu-cua-my-ve-van-de-hat-nhan-241997